Finger-worn oral procedure apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A device and methods for making and using an oral procedure apparatus include a tubular member and a flange. The tubular member forms a lumen extending from a first end of the tubular member to a second end of the tubular member, the lumen having a lumen cross-section sized to admit a human finger extending through the lumen, the tubular member having a tubular cross-section sized to be admitted into a mouth of a patient, the tubular member formed from a material substantially resilient against a bite from the mouth of the patient. The flange is coupled to the first end of the tubular member, the flange having a flange cross-section sized larger than the mouth of the patient.

PRIORITY

The application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional No. 62/097,796,filed Dec. 30, 2014, which application is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure herein relates generally to a finger-worn oral procedureapparatus and method.

BACKGROUND

Certain patients undergoing oral procedures or examinations may be proneto biting down during the procedure or examination, particularly wherethe patient does not have full control over their jaw muscles. A patientwho is, for instance, disabled or under anesthesia may pose a threat ofa bite wound to a medical professional during the procedure orexamination. Bite blocks have previously been developed that may beinserted into the patient's mouth to inhibit biting. An opening in thebite block may allow for equipment to be moved in and out of the mothand oropharynx. Certain bite blocks may be directed and configured moretoward protecting other equipment used in the procedure than the fingeror hand of the medical professional.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an image of an oral procedure apparatus, in an exampleembodiment.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are images of an oral procedure apparatus as placed on ahuman finger, in an example embodiment.

FIGS. 3A-3C sequentially illustrate the placement of an oral procedureapparatus on a finger and the subsequent use thereof in the mouth of apatient, in an example embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are end-on and side profiles, respectively, of an oralprocedure apparatus, in an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an image of an oral procedure apparatus on a human hand, in anexample embodiment

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for making an oral procedure apparatus, in anexample embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for using an oral procedure apparatus, in anexample embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustratespecific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practicethem. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical,process, and other changes. Portions and features of some embodimentsmay be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments.Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalentsof those claims.

Bite blocks described above may not facilitate passage of equipment intothe esophagus. A finger may still be needed to guide the equipment tostay in the midline towards the esophagus. Such bite blocks may merelyprotect the equipment from damage. Such bite blocks may have side portsfor insertion of a finger or suction device but this opening may besmall and not protective of bites.

Further, such bite blocks may not be inserted into the mouth of apatient who has an endotracheal tube in place, as may be the case in acritical care setting. There may not be enough space with the othertubes in place to put a large bite block. Additionally, there are timeswhen it may be necessary for a physician to palpate the back of apatient's throat to palpate or feel tonsils, adenoids, teeth, uvula, andso forth. While sedation may not be utilized for such simple procedures,there may remain risk to the physician or examiner of being bitten. Thisalso applies to veterinary examinations of dogs in particular. Aconventional bite block may be impractical for this purpose in bothcases.

An oral procedure apparatus has been developed that may be worn on thefinger of the medical professional, in contrast with conventional biteblocks which are inserted into and secure the patient's mouth andthrough which fingers and implements are then passed through and removedwhile the bite block remains in the patient's mouth. The oral procedureapparatus, or “finger-worn bite block”, may be made of materialsresilient enough to prevent the compressive force of a bite frominjuring the finger around which the bite block is being worn butaccommodating enough not to damage the teeth of the patient. The oralprocedure apparatus may include a flange configured to prevent the oralprocedure apparatus from embolizing into the mouth of the patient. Aflare in the oral procedure apparatus may guide, direct, or otheraccommodate the teeth of the patient into a groove or channel in such afashion that may reduce a likelihood of the patient's teeth fromslipping off of the end of the oral procedure apparatus. The length ofthe oral procedure apparatus may allow for flexibility in the distalphalanges of the medical professional's finger for natural movement ofthe finger in the mouth, such as by being sized to fit between joints.The bite block may be sized to leave open space in the mouth for thepassage of equipment such as probes or scopes without the need of atraditional bite block.

FIG. 1 is an image of an oral procedure apparatus 100, in an exampleembodiment. The oral procedure apparatus 100 may also be known as a“finger-worn bite block”. The oral procedure apparatus 100 includes atubular member 102 and a flange 104.

As illustrated, the tubular member 102 forms a lumen 106 extendingaxially from a first end 108 of the tubular member 102 to a second end110 of the tubular member 102. The tubular member 102 is sized andshaped to admit a finger of a medical professional within and throughthe lumen 106. A medical professional may be understood to be any personwho may perform or participate in an oral procedure or operation in oron a patient. A patient may be human or animal, including but notnecessarily limited to house pets, such as dogs, cats, and the like.

As illustrated, the lumen 106 has a circular cross-section 107. However,the lumen 106 may, in various examples, have alternative cross-sections107 that may be suitable to admit a human finger. In various examples,the lumen 106 has an oval cross-section 107 or an irregularcross-section 107.

The lumen 106, and the tubular member 102 and the oral procedureapparatus 100 generally, may be sized according to conventional fingersizes. Multiple different sizes of oral procedure apparatuses 100 may beformed for specific sizes of individual medical professional fingers. Invarious examples, lumens 106 with circular cross-sections 107 may havediameters ranging from approximately 13.3 millimeters to approximately25.0 millimeters. The sizes may correspond to conventional finger ringsizes and/or glove sizes. Thus, oral procedure apparatus 100 may besized according to increments of one-half ring sizes ranging from sizethree (3) to size 15.5.

A medical professional may obtain a suitable oral procedure apparatus100 based on the medical professional's own ring and/or glove size. Thering size of the medical professional may be measured according towhatever finger the medical professional intends to wear the oralprocedure apparatus 100 over, such as an index finger. In variousexamples, the medical professional may be advised to obtain an oralprocedure apparatus 100 that is one-half size larger than the medicalprofessional's ring or glove size to facilitate the wearing of asurgical glove or other protective mechanism or allow the wearer'sfinger to flex or bend at a joint within the tubular member.

As further illustrated, the tubular member 102 is cylindrical inaccordance with the circular cross-section 107 of the lumen 106. In suchan example, the tubular member 102 is a complete cylinder without gapsor slots. However, in alternative examples, the tubular member 102 isnot necessarily cylindrical, such as to form lumens 106 havingcross-sections 107 that are not circular. In various examples, thetubular member 102 further may not fully enclose the lumen 106, such asby incorporating slots or gaps in the material 112 that makes up thetubular member 102 but which nevertheless define a lumen 106 that canadmit a human finger.

The tubular member 102 may have a tubular member cross-section 116 sizedto be admitted in a mouth of the patient. The tubular member 102cross-section 116 may be a function of a thickness of the material 112and the cross-section 107 of the lumen. Alternatively, the thickness ofthe material 112 may be driven, at least in part, by a need to have thecross-section 116 of the tubular member 102 such that the tubular member102 may fit within a mouth of the patient.

In various examples, the oral procedure apparatus 100 is formed from asingle, or monolithic, piece of material 112, such as a medical-grade,biocompatible hard polymer, formed into the tubular member 102 and theflange 104, such as by injection molding or other suitable method.Additionally or alternatively, the tubular member 102 and the flange 104may be formed separately and coupled together. In such an example, thetubular member 102 and the flange 104 may be formed of differentmaterials. In an example, at least the tubular member 102 may be formedof a material 112 having a hardness that is sufficiently resilientagainst deformation so as to protect the finger of a medicalprofessional against compressive force injury if the patient bites downwhile the oral procedure apparatus 100 is inserted in the mouth of thepatient but not so hard as to cause injury to the teeth of the patientif the patient bites down on the tubular member 102. The tubular member102 may be sufficiently rigid that it is difficult or impossible for awearer of the apparatus 100 to bend their finger when inserted withinthe tubular member 102, which may promote the sizing of the tubularmember 102 to fit between joints. In an example, the flange 104 isformed from the same material 112 as the tubular member 102 or adifferent material 114 as the tubular member 102 that does notnecessarily meet the hardness characteristics of the material 112 usedto form the tubular member 102.

In an example, the tubular member 102 is formed of a material 112 thatis a medical grade plastic. In various examples, the medical gradeplastic may comply with contemporary and/or future requirements orrecommendations of some or all of the Food and Drug Administration, theUnited States Pharmacopeial Convention, and other regulatory or advisorybodies. In an example, the material 112 has a hardness of betweenapproximately Shore durometer A 70 and Shore durometer D 80.

The material 112 of the tubular member 102 has an inner surface 118facing the lumen 106 and an outer surface 120 opposite the inner surface118. The outer surface 120 may have or may form a channel 122 sized andconfigured to seat the teeth of the patient. The channel 122 may becircumferential and extend around the outer surface 120 of the tubularmember 102. The channel 122 may be orthogonal to a primary axis 124 ofthe lumen 106 and the tubular member 102 generally and/or otherwisegenerally circumferential about the tubular member 102.

The channel 122 may be formed by and defined between a generallyradially extending ridge 126 proximate the second end 110 and thegenerally radially extending flange 104 proximate the first end 108. Invarious examples, the ridge 126 may have a width 127 based on thebuccolabial dimensions of human teeth, in various examples betweenapproximately six (6) millimeters and approximately twelve (12)millimeters, to facilitate the accommodation of teeth, as describedherein. In various examples, the ridge 126 has a depth 129 in the rangefrom approximately one (1) millimeter to approximately five (5)millimeters, again to facilitate the accommodation of teeth. Variousexamples of the oral procedure apparatus 100 may incorporate dimensionsof the ridge 126 outside of the ranges listed here and such dimensionsmay be selected based on the characteristics of the patient in which theoral procedure apparatus 100 is to be used.

The tubular member 102 may be sized according to typical finger anatomy.In an example, and as will be illustrated herein, the tubular member 102may be sized in diameter to fit over a proximal phalange of a humanfinger and may be sized in length to fit between a metacarpophalangeal(MCP) joint and proximal inter-phalangeal (PIP) joint of the finger. Inan example, the tubular member has a length 128 of approximately twenty(20) millimeters.

The flange 104 may help prevent the oral procedure apparatus 100 fromembolizing into the mouth of the patient. The flange 104 may be sizedand shaped to be larger than the mouth of a typical patient. While theflange 104 is depicted as being generally circular, the flange 104 maybe oval, rectangular, or irregularly shaped, among any of a variety ofshapes. In various examples, oral procedure apparatuses 100 may havevariously sized flanges to accommodate different patient mouth sizes andshapes. Thus, oral procedure apparatuses 100 may be built with multipleindividually selectable characteristics based on the characteristics ofthe medical professional and the patient, including, but not limited to,lumen 106 diameter, tubular member length 128, flange 104 size andshape, and so forth. In various examples, the flange 104 has a diameterof approximately four (4) to approximately five (5) centimeters, thoughalternative diameter sizes are contemplated. The flange 104 may form anangle relative to the primary axis 124 and/or to the outer surface ofapproximately seventy (70) degrees. In various examples, the flange 104forms a substantially conic shape or cross-section with generallystraight sides or forms a cup shape with curved or parabolic sides.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are images of the oral procedure apparatus 100 as placedon a human finger 200, in an example embodiment. The oral procedureapparatus 100 is placed so that the proximal phalange 202 extendsthrough the lumen 106. As illustrated, the tubular member 102 is betweenthe MCP joint 204 and the PIP joint 206. Such positioning may allow forthe joints 206, 208 to bend freely. However, it is to be understood thatvarious uses of the oral procedure apparatus 100 may result in one orboth of the joints 206, 208 being obstructed without substantiallyreducing the utility of the oral procedure apparatus 100.

The positioning of the oral procedure apparatus 100 allows for thefinger 200 to flex and bend, as illustrated between FIGS. 2A and 2B. InFIG. 2A the finger 200 is substantially straight while in FIG. 2B thefinger 200 is bent. The positioning of the oral procedure apparatus 100may not inhibit the bending of the finger as illustrated in FIG. 2B.

As depicted, the flange 104 is proximate the MCP joint 204. The flange104 may extend over the MCP joint 204 at least in part in order to allowas much of the finger 200 to be extended in the mouth of the patient aspossible or practical. The flange 104 may be sized and shaped so as tonot inhibit movement of the MCP joint 204.

The oral procedure apparatus 100 may be positioned at any of a varietyof locations on the finger 200. In various examples, the oral procedureapparatus 100 may be positioned so that the tubular member 102 does notoverlap any of the MCP joint 204, the PIP joint 206, or the distalinter-phalangeal (DIP) joint 208 so as not to inhibit movement of thosejoints 204, 206, 208. As noted above, however, the oral procedureapparatus 100 may be positioned in a way that inhibits the movement ofone or more of those joints 204, 206, 208 while still maintaining someor all of the effectiveness of oral procedure apparatus 100. The tubularmember 102 may generally be positioned along one of the proximalphalange 202, the middle phalange 210, or the distal phalange 212, ormay cover two or more of the phalanges 202, 210, 212 if one or more ofthe joints 204, 206, 208 are obstructed by the oral procedure apparatus100. The flange 104 may extend at least partially over the hand 214 ofthe medical professional.

FIGS. 3A-3C sequentially illustrate the placement of an oral procedureapparatus 100 on a finger 200 and the subsequent use thereof in themouth 300 of a patient 302, in an example embodiment. While thisparticular use case is illustrated, it is to be recognized andunderstood that the oral procedure apparatus 100 may be utilizedaccording to or for any of a variety of uses that are not explicitlyillustrated here.

In FIG. 3A, the oral procedure apparatus 100 is held or otherwisepositioned in relation to the finger 200. In FIG. 3B, the oral procedureapparatus 100 slides over the finger 200 such that the flange 104 isproximate the MCP joint 204 and the tubular member 102 fits over theproximal phalange 202. In FIG. 3C, the finger 200, with the oralprocedure apparatus 100 placed thereon, is inserted in the mouth 300 ofthe patient 302. The size and shape of the flange 104, being larger thanthe mouth 300 of the patient 302, prevents the flange 104 and the oralprocedure apparatus 100 generally from embolizing into the mouth 300 ofthe patient 302. The patient's teeth 304 may be seated in the channel122 to limit movement of the oral procedure apparatus 100 relative tothe teeth 304 and the mouth 300 generally. The size of the tubularmember 102 may further facilitate the movement of the apparatus 100 fromside-to-side within the mouth of the patient. The medical professionalmay rotate the finger 200 and manipulate the joints 204, 206, 208 of thefinger 200 in order to facilitate or conduct an oral procedure in themouth 300.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are end-on and side profiles, respectively, of an oralprocedure apparatus 400, in an example embodiment. The oral procedureapparatus 400 may incorporate or be made or formed from the same orsimilar materials as the oral procedure apparatus 100 and may beutilized in the same or similar manner as the oral procedure apparatus100. As such, the oral procedure apparatus 400 includes a tubular member402 and a flange 404 that may be sized and function in the same orsimilar manner to that of the tubular member 102 and the flange 104.

The flange 404 incorporates a notch 406 that is configured to admit thewebbing between adjacent fingers of a hand, an adjacent finger, anornament, such as a ring, or other type of object or jewelry worn on anadjacent finger, or any other biological or artificial obstruction thatmay interfere with the flange 404 and the placement of the oralprocedure apparatus 400 generally. The notch 406 may be formed as partof the process of making the flange 404 or may be cut out of the flange404 at a later time. As illustrated, the notch 406 defines an arc alongor around the circumference of the flange 404. However, it is to beunderstood that the notch 406 may have any suitable size, shape, orgeneral configuration.

FIG. 5 is an image of the oral procedure apparatus 400 on a human hand500, in an example embodiment. As depicted, the flange 404 is proximatethe MCP joint 204. The notch 406 admits webbing 502 of the hand 500between the index finger 200 and the middle finger 504, thereby allowingthe oral procedure apparatus 400 to be seated in close proximity to theMCP joint 204. The flange 404 may extend over the MCP joint 204 at leastin part in order to allow as much of the finger 200 to be extended inthe mouth of the patient as possible or practical. The flange 404 may besized and shaped so as to not inhibit movement of the MCP joint 204.

Flowcharts

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for making an oral procedure apparatus 100, in anexample embodiment. While the flowchart is detailed in relation to theoral procedure apparatus 100 disclosed herein, it is to be understoodthat the flowchart may be applied to any applicable oral apparatus ordevice generally.

At 600, a tubular member is formed, the tubular member forming a lumenextending from a first end of the tubular member to a second end of thetubular member, the lumen having a lumen cross-section sized to admit ahuman finger extending through the lumen, the tubular member having atubular cross-section sized to be admitted into a mouth of a patient,the tubular member formed from a material substantially resilientagainst a bite from the mouth of the patient. In an example, the tubularmember is formed from a polymer. In an example, the polymer has ahardness between approximately Shore durometer A 70 and Shore durometerD 80.

In an example, the tubular member has an inner surface facing the lumenand an outer surface opposite the inner surface, wherein the tubularmember forms a channel on the outer surface, the channel substantiallyorthogonal to a primary axis of the lumen, the channel configured toseat teeth of the patient. In an example, the channel is circumferentialabout the tubular member.

In an example, the tubular member has a tubular length from the firstend to the second end selected to be less than a phalange length of aproximal phalange of the human finger. In an example, the tubular lengthis approximately twenty (20) millimeters. In an example, the tubularmember is cylindrical. In an example, the tubular member is a completecylinder extending from the first end to the second end.

At 602, a flange is coupled to the first end of the tubular member, theflange having a flange cross-section sized larger than the mouth of thepatient. In an example, the tubular member and the flange are formedfrom a single piece of material. In an example, the flange is notched byremoving material from the flange.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for using an oral procedure apparatus 100, in anexample embodiment. While the flowchart is detailed in relation to theoral procedure apparatus 100 disclosed herein, it is to be understoodthat the flowchart may be applied to any applicable oral apparatus ordevice generally.

At 700, a finger of a medical professional is inserted into a lumen ofan oral procedure apparatus, the oral procedure apparatus including atubular member and a flange, the tubular member forming a lumenextending from a first end of the tubular member to a second end of thetubular member, the lumen having a lumen cross-section sized to admit ahuman finger extending through the lumen, the tubular member having atubular cross-section sized to be admitted into a mouth of a patient,the tubular member formed from a material substantially resilientagainst a bite from the mouth of the patient, he flange coupled to thefirst end of the tubular member, the flange having a flangecross-section sized larger than the mouth of the patient. In an example,the tubular member has an inner surface facing the lumen and an outersurface opposite the inner surface, wherein the tubular member forms achannel on the outer surface, the channel substantially orthogonal to aprimary axis of the lumen, further comprising seating the teeth of thepatient in the channel. In an example, the channel is circumferentialabout the tubular member.

At 702, the oral procedure apparatus is inserted into the mouth of apatient.

At 704, an oral procedure is conducted on the patient with the finger ofthe medical professional as inserted into the lumen. The conduction ofthe oral procedure may optionally include the insertion of an instrumentalongside the oral procedure apparatus during the procedure and/or themovement of the oral procedure apparatus within the mouth, including thelateral or side-to-side movement of the oral procedure apparatus.

The above detailed description includes references to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawingsshow, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which theinvention can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred toherein as “examples.” Such examples can include elements in addition tothose shown or described. However, the present inventors alsocontemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described areprovided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examplesusing any combination or permutation of those elements shown ordescribed (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to aparticular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect toother examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or describedherein.

In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patentdocuments, to include one or more than one, independent of any otherinstances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In thisdocument, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that“A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unlessotherwise indicated. In this document, the terms “including” and “inwhich” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms“comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms“including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device,article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements inaddition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemedto fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the followingclaims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merelyas labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements ontheir objects.

The above description is intended to be illustrative, and notrestrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or moreaspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Otherembodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the artupon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to complywith 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), to allow the reader to quickly ascertain thenature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with theunderstanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scopeor meaning of the claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description,various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure.This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosedfeature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter maylie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment.Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment, and it is contemplated that such embodiments can be combinedwith each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope ofthe invention should be determined with reference to the appendedclaims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claimsare entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. An oral procedure apparatus, comprising: atubular member forming a lumen extending from a first end of the tubularmember to a second end of the tubular member, the lumen having a lumencross-section sized to admit a human finger extending through the lumen,the tubular member having a tubular cross-section sized to be admittedinto a mouth of a patient, the tubular member formed from a materialsubstantially resilient against a bite from the mouth of the patient; aflange coupled to the first end of the tubular member, the flange havinga flange cross-section sized larger than the mouth of the patient. 2.The oral procedure apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tubular member hasan inner surface facing the lumen and an outer surface opposite theinner surface, wherein the tubular member forms a channel on the outersurface, the channel substantially orthogonal to a primary axis of thelumen, the channel configured to seat teeth of the patient.
 3. The oralprocedure apparatus of claim 2, wherein the channel is circumferentialaround the tubular member.
 4. The oral procedure apparatus of claim 3,wherein the channel is formed between a generally radially extendingridge proximate the second end and the generally radially extendingflange proximate the first end.
 5. The oral procedure apparatus of claim1, wherein the tubular member has a tubular length from the first end tothe second end selected to be less than a phalange length of a proximalphalange of the human finger.
 6. The oral procedure apparatus of claim5, wherein the tubular length is approximately twenty (20) millimeters.7. The oral procedure apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tubular memberis cylindrical.
 8. The oral procedure apparatus of claim 7, wherein thetubular member is a complete cylinder extending from the first end tothe second end.
 9. The oral procedure apparatus of claim 1, wherein thetubular member and the flange are formed from a single piece ofmaterial.
 10. The oral procedure apparatus of claim 1, wherein thetubular member is formed from a polymer.
 11. The oral procedureapparatus of claim 10, wherein the polymer has a hardness of betweenapproximately Shore durometer A 70 and Shore durometer D
 80. 12. Amethod, comprising: forming a tubular member, the tubular member forminga lumen extending from a first end of the tubular member to a second endof the tubular member, the lumen having a lumen cross-section sized toadmit a human finger extending through the lumen, the tubular memberhaving a tubular cross-section sized to be admitted into a mouth of apatient, the tubular member formed from a material substantiallyresilient against a bite from the mouth of the patient; forming a flangecoupled to the first end of the tubular member, the flange having aflange cross-section sized larger than the mouth of the patient.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the tubular member has an inner surfacefacing the lumen and an outer surface opposite the inner surface,wherein the tubular member forms a channel on the outer surface, thechannel substantially orthogonal to a primary axis of the lumen, thechannel configured to seat teeth of the patient.
 14. The method of claim13, wherein the channel is circumferential around the tubular member.15. The method of claim 14, wherein the channel is formed between agenerally radially extending ridge proximate the second end and thegenerally radially extending flange proximate the first end.
 16. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the tubular member has a tubular length fromthe first end to the second end selected to be less than a phalangelength of a proximal phalange of the human finger.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the tubular length is approximately twenty (20)millimeters.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein the tubular member iscylindrical.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the tubular member is acomplete cylinder extending from the first end to the second end. 20.The method of claim 12, wherein the tubular member and the flange areformed from a single piece of material.
 21. The method of claim 12,wherein the tubular member is formed from a polymer.
 22. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the polymer has a hardness of between approximatelyShore durometer A 70 and Shore durometer D
 80. 23. A method, comprising:inserting a finger of a medical professional into a lumen of an oralprocedure apparatus, the oral procedure apparatus including a tubularmember and a flange, the tubular member forming a lumen extending from afirst end of the tubular member to a second end of the tubular member,the lumen having a lumen cross-section sized to admit a human fingerextending through the lumen, the tubular member having a tubularcross-section sized to be admitted into a mouth of a patient, thetubular member formed from a material substantially resilient against abite from the mouth of the patient, the flange coupled to the first endof the tubular member, the flange having a flange cross-section sizedlarger than the mouth of the patient; inserting the oral procedureapparatus in the mouth of a patient; and conducting an oral procedure onthe patient with the finger of the medical professional as inserted inthe lumen.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein conducting the oralprocedure on the patient includes moving the oral procedure apparatuslaterally within the mouth of the patient.
 25. The method of claim23,wherein conducting the oral procedure includes inserting aninstrument into the mouth of the patient alongside the oral procedureapparatus.